Scoring and creating goals for Fareham Town in the winter and making runs galore for Gosport in the summer came naturally to Mike Swain, who was among the area’s most outstanding sportsmen for half a century. 

A single figure golfer at Corhampton and England over 70s cricketer who spent his entire career at British Gas in Southampton, Mike has died aged 78.

As a footballer, he was a lead player in the hugely successful Fareham team of the 70s and scored the winning goal when Centipedes won the FA Sunday Cup.

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With Centipedes as a teenager either side of spells as a semi-professional at Andover and Thorneycroft Athletic, Mike enjoyed the bulk of his football at Fareham, making 270 appearances and scoring 103 times while twice winning the Hampshire League. 

Having been a founder playing member of the Centipedes Sunday side in the 60s, he returned to score the winning goal in the 1975 FA national final.

A talented left-hand batsman and left-arm seam bowler, Mike played the bulk of his cricket for Gosport and was arguably the top all-rounder of his time in the old Southern League.

He moved on to play seniors’ cricket for Hampshire and earned selection for England Over-70s, playing ‘Grey Ashes’ Tests against Australia, both at home and overseas. 

Mike played his early cricket alongside his father Gerry for the Good Intent pub team, scoring a maiden 50 against Fareham aged 13.

It wasn’t long before Gosport Amateurs snapped him up and he soon became a leading figure in the old Southern League, the third all-time highest scorer in the competition.

During Mike's time there, Gosport enjoyed success in national cup competitions, notably playing at Lord's in the final of the John Haig Trophy national club championship in 1980.

He went on to become a stalwart member of the Hampshire Seniors, scoring in excess of 10,000 runs for Hampshire, including 21 centuries in 176 games, averaging 60 runs per innings. 

A fine fielder, he also took 62 catches, helping Hampshire win the Seventies championships two years running in 2016 and 2017.

Mike proudly played 15 times for England, scoring almost 500 runs.

His funeral will take place at Portchester Crematorium on Wednesday April 30 at 1.45pm.